Author Topic: Morphing somebody's face/head over the years - how do they do that? (Read 23987 times)

IainB · « **on:** August 14, 2012, 09:11 PM »

Morphing somebody's face/head over the years - how do they do that?
Like this, for example - I thought this was amazing. Never seen anything quite like it before, and I'd like to know how to do it.

barney · « **Reply #1 on:** August 14, 2012, 10:40 PM »

Actually, it's pretty easy. A decent morphing software, a series of images, then you specify pair points on each photo. As the series progresses, you see apparent aging in the subject in supposedly real time. There are some freeware applications available, you'd just have to check to see what would work for you.

I use Abrosoft's FantaMorph, but it's not cheap - $49.95 US, and I don't recall whether that was BDJ or not.

If you try it, remember that the more pair points you set, the smoother and more realistic the transformation will appear.

[Sidebar
A pair point is, for instance, the tip of the nose in each image, the earlobes, the tops of the ears, the eyebrows, and the like. The more pair points you have, the smoother the transition will be.]

You can also set a reverse morph, i.e. old maid to young girl, by changing the the photo order.

Oh, yeah, doesn't hafta be photos, can be any image set. Once changed a Mercedes into a Model T that way. Transformed from the Mercedes to a Pontiac to a Chevrolet to a Ford to a Model T, each one (1) older as the morph progressed. All the images were commercial advertisements

.

Edit: link for FantaMorph

kunkel321 · « **Reply #2 on:** August 14, 2012, 11:50 PM »

Yea, I've used Morpheus http://www.morpheussoftware.net/ it's pretty easy.

There are some free ones out there. Checkout http://download.cnet...2186_4-10845768.html If you google search, then watch out for viruses with this type of software.... Stuff from cnet aught to be safe though.

IainB · « **Reply #3 on:** August 15, 2012, 03:13 AM »

Thanks for the pointers. I shall investigate/trial.

nosh · « **Reply #4 on:** August 15, 2012, 03:28 AM »

I can vouch for Fantamorph. Haven't updated (or used) it in years but it was a solid, evolved app even back then.

40hz · « **Reply #5 on:** August 15, 2012, 06:46 AM »

I believe the way nature does it is via a process called aging.

(Sorry. Couldn't resist.

)

kunkel321 · « **Reply #6 on:** August 15, 2012, 06:01 PM »

Here's one I did of myself with Morpheus a while back... Didn't have very good starting photos though, so didn't turn out all that great.

Unlike natural aging, it loops ;-)

cyberdiva · « **Reply #7 on:** August 17, 2012, 08:47 AM »

Impressive job, kunkel! (And I loved your remark about looping.) Did you use Morpheus Standard or one of the more expensive versions? Is it ever offered on Bits du Jour or GAOTD?

Curt · « **Reply #8 on:** September 17, 2012, 07:51 AM »

Today, Monday 17'th September 2012:
http://www.bitsdujou...abrosoft-fantamorph/

Edited:
compare versions: http://www.fantamorp...rice.html#comparison

Renegade · « **Reply #9 on:** September 17, 2012, 10:50 AM »

On the morphing topic, I just saw this, and thought it was a brilliant piece of work (99% chance Photoshop and 100% chance not algorithmic - or should that be AL GORE ITHMIC~!

):

barney · « **Reply #10 on:** September 17, 2012, 04:21 PM »

^Nah - the ears are wrong

. And Al never looked that pretty

.

cyberdiva · « **Reply #11 on:** September 17, 2012, 04:47 PM »

I'm really tempted by the BdJ FantaMorph offer. I wish I knew whether the least expensive version would do the job. I don't really have time to try it out before the offer expires. Anyone have experience with the least expensive version, or know why that might not be a good choice?

Curt · « **Reply #12 on:** September 17, 2012, 05:05 PM »

-looking at the comparison, I have decided that Deluxe is the only one of the three versions to have. And because I cannot afford that one, I am not buying any of them...

cyberdiva · « **Reply #13 on:** September 17, 2012, 05:29 PM »

-looking at the comparison, I have decided that Deluxe is the only one of the three versions to have. And because I cannot afford that one, I am not buying any of them...
-Curt (September 17, 2012, 05:05 PM)

Curt, what are the features that you feel are vitally important that can only be had in the Deluxe version?

barney · « **Reply #14 on:** September 17, 2012, 05:42 PM »

I'm really tempted by the BdJ FantaMorph offer. I wish I knew whether the least expensive version would do the job. I don't really have time to try it out before the offer expires. Anyone have experience with the least expensive version, or know why that might not be a good choice?
-cyberdiva (September 17, 2012, 04:47 PM)

Picked it up in March, I think (Curt's recommendation, the Deluxe version). Initial tests make it pretty sharp. It goes through a hardware/software test when you install/initiate it, determines what drivers you have -or, I think, may need -whether hardware acceleration is available ... it does check you system for compatibility, makes recommendations as needed. I installed it on a Toshiba i7 6G RAM system, so it does not require uber-powerful system.

Played with it twice, so far. Acceptable results both times. I'm now trying to obtain decent shots of a sailboat which will be morphed into an English ship of the line or a China Clipper. Discovered that it's much more challenging to change an inanimate object (A sailboat? Inanimate? Preposterous

!) into another inanimate object (see previous parenthetical expression) than to change one person into another, or to cross a human with most any animal.

Over the years - say, the last thirty (30) or forty (40) - I've tried a lot of morphing software: FantaMorph is the best to date. Maybe a bit pricey, even on BDJ, but well worth the cost to anyone interested in the concept. (And creating, for instance, a granddaughter from infancy to maturity is absolutely precious

. Or grandson. Or niece, nephew, neighbor's kid. Anyone of whom you have a photo history.)(Or, you could turn your current boss into a fire-breathing dragon $:-\$ .)

cyberdiva · « **Reply #15 on:** September 17, 2012, 06:22 PM »

Barney, thanks for your message. I'm still wondering, though, whether you could have made "acceptable" morphs (which is how you described your results) with one of the less expensive versions of FantaMorph. Like you, I'd love to create a morph of a family member from infancy to maturity. I know I could do that with the Deluxe version, but couldn't I also make an "acceptable" version with, say, the Standard version?

Curt · « **Reply #16 on:** September 17, 2012, 08:52 PM »

-with Deluxe you can make morphs from many photos that the cheaper versions can't use, say, from a face in a group of faces, etcetera.

Besides:

Your purchase is risk-free because of our 100% unconditional 30 day money-back guarantee

cyberdiva · « **Reply #17 on:** September 17, 2012, 10:26 PM »

Thanks very much, Curt, for your helpful response. I now see the point of getting the Deluxe version, but I think I'll compromise and go for the Pro instead. More than once, I've bought software in a burst of enthusiasm and then wound up not using it.

I don't know that that will happen this time, but I feel more comfortable spending $30 rather than $50.

barney · « **Reply #18 on:** September 17, 2012, 11:13 PM »

Barney, thanks for your message. I'm still wondering, though, whether you could have made "acceptable" morphs (which is how you described your results) with one of the less expensive versions of FantaMorph. Like you, I'd love to create a morph of a family member from infancy to maturity. I know I could do that with the Deluxe version, but couldn't I also make an "acceptable" version with, say, the Standard version?
-cyberdiva (September 17, 2012, 06:22 PM)

As I read the specs, using multiple photos in sequence did not seem viable for the lesser versions. That, however, may have been just my interpretation. Might be more work, but you should easily be able to build a series of images by doing two (2) at a time, then streaming the results together. In fact, that might be a more impressive output. Sorry to be so late with this reply.

Curt · « **Reply #19 on:** September 18, 2012, 07:25 AM »

Abrosoft FantaMorph for Mac & PC - Deal Extended for Another Day!
-Bits du Jour, Tuesday 18 Sept

cyberdiva · « **Reply #20 on:** September 18, 2012, 07:44 AM »

Thanks, Barney and Curt, for your input. I wound up buying the Pro version last night. Barney, I think the Pro version can use multiple source images, though I won't really know until I try.